1. Write down on a blank piece of paper one project, situation or task that is on your mind that you need to ‘get done’. 2. In just one sentence describe the intended outcome so that you could check this project off as ‘done’. 3. Then write down the very next physical action required to move this project or task to completion.

Commonly the best thing that comes from doing this is you having a clearer definition of what ‘done’ looks like, and the very next step you need to take to get there.Nothing has happened yet, after all, the task has yet to be done. Yet for many, after doing this simple activity, a sense of added motivation can be felt as up until now it was just a thought nagging at your subconscious mind. Now you know what 'done' looks like and can place this task in priority with other tasks and projects also written down.

Will your pictures and keepsakes mean anything to the next generation?

A lifetime goes into collecting images and keepsakes that take you back, to that special day, that once in a lifetime event, that person you could never forget.

So why can these precious items that tell your history, that hold cherished memories, be lost in piles, water-damaged, folded up, scattered about, or have never made there way out of the envelope? And how can this happen while perfectly good, empty albums and scrapbooks lie about, having suffered the same fate?Who cares?! Getting them organized now is what really matters. Before its too late and these keepsakes, heirlooms and photos get left behind as the next generation doesn’t know the story and doesn’t understand the value. Getting organized in any area of life and work should not be about assigning blame or guilt to what hasn’t happened, it’s about taking action now and honoring your possessions and space for the present and for the future. So the question begs, how do I organize them?Here are 5 steps to help you: I call this my ‘ALBUM’ method!Arrange and SortGather some shoe boxes or other trays to sort in. Have a marker and note cards ready to make categorizing easy. Choose your categories based on dates, life stages, events, or people. You decide, just remember to think long term on what makes most sense for you and your family. If you can’t decide ultimate order now, that’s ok just take time to label the categories you come across well so putting in order later will be easy.Limit and PurgeToss the extra packaging, old flyers and old cardboard frames. Toss any unflattering, fuzzy or ‘too dark/too light’ shots.Redundant, duplicated, off centre and poorly framed shots can get tossed too, unless there is any potential to create a special effect when scrap booking a very special image. In which case do limit this, as in reality you’re not going to do this with every subject.Toss pictures taken for temporary needs or practice shots.Box it up safelyChip in and get good archival quality photo boxes that are acid free.‘Neatly’ label the outside of each, and don’t mix up your categories. That ‘I’ll put it here for now’ mentality is what gets us cluttered in the first place. This stuff is either valuable and to be honored, or it’s not.Safely store negatives in envelopes with photos if possible.Upgrade when you have timeWhen shopping for albums & frames consider your volume, the sizes and where in your home you will display them. Take the time to plan how much album space to allot to each category.Purge more as you go. Maintain your systemDevelop film or download images from digital cameras immediately. Limit the pictures you take, or keep. Don’t fall back into that ‘good enough for now’ habit.Update boxes routinely, monthly, bi yearly or yearly.

Well, I too have accumulated 'stuff' and occasionally its needs to be purged.

Here's me, practicing what I preach...Last Monday was one of those days when I too had to spend some time organizing my belongings, re-live some past memories and let go of some 'stuff'!

We have a small storage unit close by in which we store our valuable and not so valuable possessions that just don’t fit in our home. For the most part these items are not up for disposal due to their valuable and highly useful nature. (For example: our 4 large containers of camping and sporting gear)

Lately however, we have been contemplating thinning out much of the household items and other less loved stuff we know has been taking up space. So we decided to practice what we preach: ‘Have nothing which you don't know to be useful, think to be beautiful, or love.’

We managed to gather up 6 large boxes of stuff to give away. I was actually surprised at the amount and was excited to make that kind of a dent in our storage space. We now have more room and much better access to what we use most often.

One particularly liberating experience was tossing out a pile of old records I had created when I was producing a business plan for a health food internet café. Wow, what a trip to go through those old documents and ideas! Yet, I don’t regret tossing it because really, I have most documents backed up in electronic format anyhow.

I understand my client's situations and feelings when dealing with clutter and letting go. Like myself, I know they too can feel refreshed when ‘space’ is cleared and the 'unneeded' and 'unwanted' are released. So, where is your clutter?